Director of Music & Liturgy

Description

The Director of Music and Liturgy facilitates the music for all liturgical celebrations, educates the parish in areas of music and liturgy according to the vision of the Second Vatican Council, works to insure all liturgical ministers are scheduled & trained, and assumes administrative responsibilities relevant to the position including maintaining adequate supplies to insure that Mass and other liturgies run well.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

As a pastoral minister, the musician has the responsibility to nurture his or her own faith in order to nurture the faith of others.

Commitment to professional development is a mutual responsibility of the musician and the parish. In order to maintain a competent level of professionalism, the responsibility of the pastoral musician and liturgist includes:

• Practicing to improve or maintain skills in voice, conducting, and the instruments upon which the musician is expected to perform;
• Researching, developing, and mastering new music;
• Maintaining scheduling and training of all liturgical ministers including ministers of hospitality, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, readers, cantors, choir members, and fellow musicians;
• Pursuing educational advancement in musical skills that relate to the parish's need (e.g., organ, choral directing, vocal pedagogy);
• Keeping current with official statements and documents on music, liturgy, and developments in the pastoral field;
• Studying various liturgical and musical publications;
• Membership in professional organizations and attendance at national and area conferences and workshops if budgetted;
• Periodic coursework in the field of pastoral liturgy and liturgical music.

The pastoral musician is to educate the parish in areas of music and liturgy according to the vision of the Second Vatican Council. This responsibility includes:

• Helping the parish grow in its understanding of the role of music in the liturgy;
• Helping the parish learn new liturgical music at an appropriate pace;
• Serving as a resource person for the liturgical music education of the parish ministries, Liturgy Committee, and pastoral staff;
• Serving as a resource person in liturgical music for the religious education process;
• Fostering and developing the musicianship of parish music ministers and clergy;
• Coordinating workshops and concerts as needed.

Under the leadership of the pastor, the responsibility of the pastoral musician as a liturgical minister involves:

• Coordinating the music ministry and liturgical ministers for all parish liturgies;
• Assuming the role of leading musician (accompanist or choral director);
• Making the creative choice of music and exercising its judicious placement for all liturgical celebrations;
• Recruiting, scheduling, and rehearsing various music ministries (e.g., choirs, cantors, instrumentalists);
• Liturgy planning (working with the priests and Liturgy Commission) including leading the Liturgy Commission;
• Securing proper copyrights for all worship participation aids;
• Insure proper training is scheduled and executed throughout the year for all ministers;
• Working with the Director of Evangelization & Discipleship and school education staff in the preparation of children's liturgies;
• Meeting with engaged couples for the preparation of wedding liturgies and preparing music for funeral liturgies.

The responsibility of the pastoral musician as an administrator involves:

• Making liturgical music policies in conjunction with the Liturgy Commission and pastoral staff, taking into consideration Diocesan and national guidelines;
• Formulating a music & liturgy budgets;
• Developing and maintaining a liturgical music library of various styles and genres for assembly, choir, cantor and instrumentalists;
• Maintaining the parish's musical instruments, church vessels and vestments, liturgical supplies, and all things necessary for successful liturgies;
• Making recommendations for the purchase of new instruments, sound equipment, hymnals and music supplies, liturgical supplies;
• Securing other musicians as…